Bottle carriers



June 5, 1956 R. J. HENNESSEY ET AL 2,748,978

BOTTLE CARRIERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1951 INVENTOR June 5, 1956 R, J, HENNEssEY ET AL 2,748,978

BOTTLE CARRIERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.

INVENTOR U! Y e m S U/ R s.m m Mm A mama HD n Ma fi e 5 F June 5, 1956 R. J. HENNESSEY ET AL 2,748,978

BOTTLE CARRIERS '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 21 1951 INVENTOR Passe/Z J. Hennesse Unite I States Patent Q BOTTLE CARRIERS Russell J. Hennessey and Robert M. Dunning, St. Paul, Minn., assignors to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application February 21, 1951, Serial No. 212,180

11 Claims. (Cl. 220-105) This invention relates to an improvement in bottle carriers and deals particularly with a type of carrier which encloses the bottles.

Various types of cartons have been produced for containing a series of bottles of beer or other liquids. Some of these cartons are provided with handles by means of which the cartons may be carried. Carrier cartons for containing many types of bottled goods require no top and accordingly may be relatively simple in form. However, beer is allegedly harmed by light and accordingly breweries usually require that carriers for carrying bottled beer must provide a virtually light proof container. An object of the present invention lies in the provision of a carrier carton useful in containing a series of bottles and including in the container a filler for holding the bottles from contact with one another. This filler serves the double purpose of holding the bottles spaced and also acting as a handle member by means of which the carton may be carried.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a carton including a filler for holding bottles in spaced relation and in supporting this filler for limited vertical movement. In lowered position of the filler, the entire filler is within the confines of the carton. However, in raised position of the filler the upper portion of the filler projects above the carton surface so that it may be conveniently grasped to provide a means of carrying the carton. 4

A feature of the. present invention lies in the provision of a filler with a projecting center portion extending above the level of the remainder of the filler and having a hand hole therethrough. This hand hole provides a means by which the filler may be easily grasped in the hand in the carrying of the carton. In raised position of the filler the filler still holds the bottles in spaced relation and out of actual contact.

An added feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a pair of inclined flaps which form a generally V-shaped recess in the top portion of the carton. These flaps engage against the filler and prevent appreciable amounts of light from entering the carton between the flaps.

An added feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a carton having a recess in the upper panel into which a portion of the filler extends. The portion of the filler projecting into this recess is provided with a hand hole by means of which the filler may be engaged and elevated.

An added feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a filler having flanges extending along opposite ends thereof and designed to engage against the top of the carton closely adjacent to the fold lines connecting the top to opposite wall panels of the carton. Thus the weight of the carton contents may be supported by the filler at a point where the top of the carton may best support the weight. 7

These and other objects and novel features of our invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

2,748,978 Patented June 5, 1956 In the drawings forming a part of our specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the carton in carrying condition.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the position of the handle in storage position.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view through the carton showing the relationship of the parts.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the carton the position of the section being indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the carton in partially closed position.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the filler removed from the carton.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the blank of which the carton has been formed.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the carton, the position of the section being indicated by the line 88 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of one portion of the filler.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of the other portions of the filler.

The carton is shown diagrammatically in Figure 7 of the drawings. The carton is shown as including four wall panels 10, 11, 12 and 13 connected together by parallel fold lines 14, 15 and 16. A glue flap 17 is hingedly connected along the line 19 to the panel 10. This flap 17 is designed to overlap the panel 13 and to be secured thereto to produce a carton of collapsible tubular form.

The lower edges of the wall panels are connected along a fold line 20 to bottom closing flaps. In the construction illustrated these flaps are foldable into superposed relation in erected position of the carton and are adhered together. Where the carton is to be used at locations which have no carton end gluing apparatus the flaps may interlock together to form a bottom closure. The panel 10 is provided with a closing flap 21 while the wall panel 11 is provided with a bottom flap 22. The wall panels 12 and 13 are provided with closing flaps 23 and 24 respectively.

The upper edges of the side wall panels are connected along a common fold line 25 to top closing flaps. Relatively narrow closing flaps 26 and 27 are connected along the fold line 25 to the wider panels 10 and 12. Relatively short closing flaps 29 and 30 are also connected to the narrower panels 11 and 13. In the closed condition of the carton the free edges 31 and 32 of the flaps 26 and 27 are spaced apart. Flaps 33 and 34 are connected to the central portion of the flaps 26 and 27 along lines of told 35 and 36.

The flaps 29 and 30 are provided with extension flaps 37 and 39 connected thereto along fold lines 40 and 41. The flaps 29 and 30 in closed position of the carton are on a common plane and the extension flaps 37 and 39 extend downwardly at right angles to this common plane. These extension flaps form end closures for the recess produced in the top of the carton in set up form of the carton. These extension flaps are provided with angularly inclined slots which converge toward one another as they extend toward the free ends of the flaps. The extension 37 is provided with converging slots 42 while the extension 39 is provided with converging slots 43.

The side edges of the flaps 33 and 34 are provided with locking tongues or projections designed to extend in the slots just described. The flap 33 is provided with oppositely projecting tongues 44 and 45" while the flap 34 is provided with laterally projecting tongues 46 and 47. The tongues 44 and 47 are designed to extend into the slots 43 of the extension 39. The tongues 45 and 46 are designed to extend into the slots 42 of the extension 37. The carton filler is best illustrated in Figures 6, 9 and 10 of the drawings. The filler includes a panel 49 of relatively strong paper board or corrugated paper board. The panel 49 is connected along parallel fold lines 50 and 51 to edge flanges 52 and 53. A pair of parallel slots- 54 and '55 exten'd'into 'the body of thepanel arid extend at substantially right angles to the lower edge of the panel. These slots 54 and 55 are designed to embrace, portions of the intersecting filler members 56 illustrated in Figure 10.

The filler members '56 comprise rectangular panels of paper board or corrugated board and are provided with vertical slots 57 communicating with their upper edge 59. The slots 57 embrace portions of the panel 49 above the slots 54 and 55 in assembled form of thefiller.

A handle projection '60 is provided on thepanel 49, this projection preferably being located centrally of the panel. Slots 61 and 62 preferably provided with beveled upper corners 63 and 64 are provided on either side of the handle projection 60 extending in parallel relation at right angles to the upper edge of the filler. The handle projection 60 extends substantially above the level of the remainder of the panel 49 and is provided with a hand hole 65 through which the hand may extend. Alternatively, the handle projection may be provided with spaced finger openings through which the fingers may extend.

When the filler is positioned in the carton the handle projection 60 terminates at or slightly below the upper surface of the carton. The flanges 52 and 53 are folded into right angular relation to the remainder of the panel 49. The panel 49 between the fold lines 50 and 51 is substantially equal to the inner length of the carton. Accordingly when the filler is in place the flanges 52 and 53 extend along the end walls 11 and 13 of the carton as best indicated in Figure 8 of the drawings. This feature is of importance as it provides a firm bearing between the tiller and the carton top at a point where the top of the carton is relatively strong.

If the entire weight of the carton contents were exerted upon the filler at a point substantially spaced from the walls of the carton, there would be a considerable tendency for the top flaps to hinge into open position. However, by engaging the top panels closely adjacent the fold lines connecting certain of the top flaps to the wall panels, much of the tendency to open the top flaps is avoided.

After the bottom end of the carton has been closed and the filler inserted the carton is filled with bottles, this operation being done either manually or by automatic equipment. When the bottles are in place the flaps 29 and 30 are hinged down into a common plane and the flap extensions 37 and 39 are bent down into right angular relation, these flaps extending along opposite edges of the handle projection 60 of the filler and being held in proper position thereby.

The flap extensions 33 and 34 are next hinged down so that the free ends of these flaps engage opposite sides of the handle projection 60 of the filler. The flaps 26 and 27 are folded down so that the ends of these flaps overlie portions of the flaps 29 and 30 as best illustrated in Figure of the drawings. When the various flaps are folded into flat relation across the top of the carton, the projections 44 and 45, 46 and 47 on the flaps 33 and 34 enter the slots 42 and 43. The flap extensions 37 and 39 spread apart sufliciently during the insertion of the flaps 33 and 34 to permit the projections to enter their respective slots.

'As indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the flaps 33 and 34 form a V-shaped recess in the top of-the carton through which the handle projection extends. As the flaps 33 and 34 engage against opposite sides of the handle projection 60 and as the flaps 37 and 39 close the ends of the recess thus formed in the carton top, little light is permitted to enter the carton through the recess. During storage of the filled cartons the handle is recess'ed into the carton so that numerous cartons may be stacked one upon another without interference. However, when the carton is to be carried the handle extension is grasped between the fingers and pulled upwardly until it reaches the position shown in Figure 1. In this position the top of the filler panel 49 extends against the top of the carton and the weight of the carton is supported through the carton top. It will be noted that the slots 61 and 62 on opposite sides of the handle projection 60 accommodate the downwardly extending flap extensions 37 and 39 in elevated condition of the tiller panel. The filler is purposely made high so that it affords protection for the bottle even in elevated condition.

In accordance with the patent statutes, we have described the principles of construction and operation of our bottle carrier, and while we have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1.A bottle carrier with its top in closed condition including a carton having rectangularly arranged side walls and top and bottom closures, the top closure including apair of closure flaps connected to two opposed side walls and folded inwardly in coplanar relation, a pair of downwardly extending extension flaps on the inner edges of said closure flaps, a handle including a panel parallel to, and intermediate between, the remaining two opposed side walls,-said handle panel including a central portion extending substantially the full height of the carton, said handle panel having slots therein extending vertically on opposite sides of said central portion to accommodate said extension fiaps on said closure coplanar flaps when said handle'panel is raised, the side portions of said handle panel on opposite sides of said central portion being of lesser height than said central portion to permit vertical movement of the handle panel, and reinforcing flanges secured throughout the integral length of the ends of said panel and extending at right angles to the panel along two opposed walls of said carton, whereby upon lifting said carton by said handle, the handle panel thereof and reinforcing flanges support said carton without bending the handle panel or said coplanar flaps.

2. The structuredescribed in claim 1 and including means for holding said closure flaps in coplanar relation.

3. The structure described in claim 1 and including secondfclosure flaps on said remaining side walls, and cooperable means on said closure flaps for holding the first named closure flaps incoplanar relation.

4. The structure described in claim 1 and including second closure flaps on said remaining side walls, and extension flaps on said second closure flaps inclining downwardly andtowa rd said handle panel.

5. The structure described in claim 4 and including cooperable locking means on the second closure flaps and the'first named closure flaps.

6. A bottle carrier comprising a tubular carton body, and top and bottom closures closing the ends of said tubular body, said top closure including a pair of opposed coplanar panels connected to opposite sides of said body along parallel fold lines, said panels terminating in spaced relation and spaced far enough apart to permit the fingers and thumb of a hand to be inserted there betweemflaps connected to the end edges of said panels along fold lines parallel to said first mentioned fold lines, said flaps converging downwardly and inwardly to provide a (shaped recess in the carton body top, a filler within said carton having a handle member thereon, said handle member extending between said flaps, said handle member'liaving a handhole therethrough in the portion thereof between said converging flaps, the upper portion of said handle member extending upwardly from the apex of said V-shape d recess, said handle member having its upper edge substantially flush with said top closure.

7. The construction described in claim 6 and in which said filler includes portions on either side of said handle member which are of lesser height than said handle member, whereby said filler member may be raised to extend above said top closure.

8. A bottle carrier including a carton including rectangularly arranged side and end walls, a top closure, and a bottom closure, said top closure including a pair of closure panels connected to said end walls and extending in a substantially common plane, a pair of downwardly extending extension flaps on the inner edges of said closure panels, a handle including a panel parallel to, and intermediate between, said side walls, said handle panel including a central portion extending substantially the full height of said side and end walls, said handle panel having slots therein extending vertically on opposite sides of said central handle portion to accommodate said extension flaps on said closure panels when said handle panel is raised, side portions on said handle panel on opposite sides of said central portion being of lesser height than said central portion whereby said handle panel may be raised, said side portions of said handle panel engaging the under surfaces of said closure panels between said end walls and said extension flaps, and means for holding said closure panels in substantially coplanar relation.

9. The structure described in claim 8 and in which said means for holding said closure panels in substantially coplanar relation includes closure panels on said side walls and cooperable means on said end wall closure panels and said side wall closure panels.

10. A bottle carrier including a carton including rectangularly arranged side and end walls, a top closure, and a bottom closure, said top closure including a pair of closure panels connected to said end walls and extending in a substantially common plane, a pair of downwardly extending extension flaps on the inner edges of said closure panels, a handle including a panel parallel to, and intermediate between, said side walls, said handle panel including a central portion extending substantially the full height of said side and end walls, said handle panel having slots therein extending vertically on opposite sides of said central handle portion to accommodate said extension flaps on said closure panels when said handle panel is raised, side portions on said handle panel on opposite sides of said central portion being of lesser height than said central portion whereby said handle panel may be raised, said side portions of said handle panel engaging the under surfaces of said closure panels between said end walls and said extension flaps, closure panels on said side walls terminating in spaced relation, and flaps on said last named closure panels extending downwardly and inwardly in converging relation toward said central portion of said handle panel.

11. The structure defined in claim 10 and including interlocking means on said flaps on said side wall closure panels and said flaps on said end wall closure panels for holding said closure panels in closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,949,986 Whalley Mar. 6, 1934 2,089,067 Myers Aug. 3, 1937 2,179,981 Mooter et al Nov. 14, 1939 2,192,412 Reaume Mar. 5, 1940 2,284,989 Rue June 2, 1942 2,413,315 Darragh Dec. 31, 1946 2,451,644 Wood Oct. 19, 1948 

